Facile preparation of high performance visible light sensitive photo-catalysts

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 94; no. 3-4; pp. 241 - 247
• Main Authors: Yun, Hyeong Jin, Lee, Hyunjoo, Joo, Ji Bong, Kim, Nam Dong, Kang, Mi Yeong, Yi, Jongheop
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 10.02.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon doping; Catalysis; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Conversion; Doping; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Irradiation; Nanoparticle; Nanoparticles; Photo-catalyst; Photochemistry; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physical chemistry of induced reactions (with radiations, particles and ultrasonics); Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; TiO2; Titanium dioxide; Visible light; Wavelengths; White light; Carbon doping; Visible light; Photo-catalyst; Nanoparticle; TiO2; Binary compound; XANES spectrometry; Doping; Alcohol; Degradation; Synthesis; TiO; Catalytic reaction; Photocatalysis; Transition element compounds; Carbon; Conversion; Wavelength; EXAFS spectrometry; Heterogeneous catalysis; Phenol; Preparation; Solar energy; Phenols; Benzenic compound; Titanium oxide; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2009.11.014

Since the conversion of solar energy to electric or chemical forms is essential for achieving a sustainable society, the development of novel photo-catalytic materials is a subject of considerable interest. Here we report on the facile synthesis of a visible light sensitive photo-catalyst by doping a large amount of carbon into TiO2 nanoparticles. The findings show that carbon is clearly incorporated into the TiO2 framework, as evidenced by TPO, XANES, and EXAFS. The photo-catalytic activity of the carbon-doped TiO2 is increased by more than 4 times, compared to commercial TiO2 P25 for the degradation of phenol under irradiation by white light. Additionally, we observed for the first time that the carbon-doped TiO2 shows catalytic activity under irradiation by visible light at wavelengths longer than 600nm. The synthetic method developed in this study is very simple, and doping level of carbon can be easily controlled by changing the synthetic conditions used.